preferred die set for 45 acp ?

rebs · January 13, 2012, 05:44 PM

Which die set is the preferred set for reloading 45 acp ?

I see Lee has a 4 die set with a factory crimp die.

kxkid · January 13, 2012, 06:13 PM

The 4 set comes with the factory crimp die. I have the lee 3 die with out it. I just use the crimp that's built into the seater die

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Sky Master · January 13, 2012, 06:28 PM

I have a Lee and use all 4

Hawg · January 13, 2012, 06:29 PM

I have the Lee dies but don't use the factory crimp.

rclark · January 13, 2012, 06:38 PM

I use the three die set from RCBS. So far has worked fine.

medalguy · January 13, 2012, 07:27 PM

I use either the Lee carbide sizer if loading on the Dillon, or the RCBS Universal deprimer (if not loading on the Dillon). I use RCBS seater die and Lee FCD to just take all of the belling out of the case mouth. I really don't crimp this round.

But any brand of dies will work just fine.

Cornbread · January 13, 2012, 07:30 PM

No experience with anything but RCBS in the 45 but they have been feeding 2 hungry Glocks (21 & 30) with no problems.

Tim R · January 13, 2012, 07:55 PM

I have had zero issues loading 45ACP for 2 1911's with RCBS carbide dies.

jimkim · January 13, 2012, 08:55 PM

I used a Frankenstein set. I use a mix of Hornady New Dimension and Lee dies. I size with a Hornady, bell and charge with a Lee, seat with a Hornady, and will now be crimping with a Lee. I'm hoping the Lee FCD will help with my oversized bullets until Lyman sends me a new .452" sizing die. It may not work. I hope it does, I'm down to two hundred 45 acp rounds.

Edward429451 · January 13, 2012, 09:06 PM

I have both RCBS and Dillon 45acp dies. I run the Dillon dies on the 550B and I run the rcbs dies on the RC. I can't tell the difference which brand is better. They both work with no problems.

I thought I had a problem with their dies once...but it was traced to operator error.

Sport45 · January 13, 2012, 09:52 PM

I have the Lee 4-die set and use all of them. I prefer to seat and crimp in separate operations.

eddyb74 · January 13, 2012, 09:57 PM

I have RCBS in my 650. It's probably my fault but I have been bending the decapping rod every 500 rounds or so. I have yet to have this problem with my Dillon dies in 9mm in the same press. I will be switching over soon.

big_genius29 · January 13, 2012, 10:06 PM

Redding

oldreloader · January 13, 2012, 11:54 PM

I have the 4 die set and use all 4 Because I prefer to seat and crimp in different steps on the LCT.

rebs · January 14, 2012, 07:35 AM

I appreciate all the replies, thank you

rebs · January 14, 2012, 08:09 AM

Is there a different bullet seater pin for fmj and one for swc or does the standard dies seat both type bullets ?
I am asking about 45 acp and 357 mag.
Also do you guys crimp your 45 acp and what type crimp do you prefer ?

hodaka · January 14, 2012, 08:28 AM

I use the Lee dies also. Regarding the crimp, a long time ago a friend showed me a trick that I have been using. A 30-06 seater die makes a great tool to taper crimp a 45 ACP. You need to fiddle with the adjustment a bit but it does an excellent job.

ps-same seater dies for all bullets.

David Bachelder · January 14, 2012, 10:16 AM

+on the RCBS (carbide) three die set. Works great for me.

Kevin Rohrer · January 14, 2012, 10:34 AM

They all work equally well. Buy any set you want as long as they are new and carbide, and you won't regret it.

oldreloader · January 14, 2012, 10:38 AM

"Also do you guys crimp your 45 acp and what type crimp do you prefer ? "
45 ACP requires a taper crimp because it headspaces on the case mouth. The Lee seater will seat both roundnose and flat point bullets. Hornady and some others come with two seater plugs, one for roundnose and one for flatpoints.

3kgt2nv · January 14, 2012, 01:31 PM

i have the rcbs, hornady and the lee 4 die set.

I only use the lee with all 4 dies set up in the dillon 650

FWest · January 14, 2012, 06:50 PM

If you shoot lead Lyman's M die work very well to expand the case and not cause any lead shaving. Lyman also sells a universial expander so you could add it to any set of dies.

wncchester · January 14, 2012, 08:08 PM

Lyman has the "best" handgun expander, Redding copied it, both work very well for lead and jacketed bullets. Otherwise, I don't think there is a 'preferred' die brand for much of anything, they all work fine if used correctly or they wouldn't survive in the market.

Marquezj16 · January 15, 2012, 04:52 PM

Hornady New Dimension and I don't crimp. Hornady reload manual 7th ed. actually states "little or no crimp as the 45 Automatic headspaces on the case mouth."

oldreloader · January 15, 2012, 09:20 PM

When I crimp any case that headspaces on the casemouth I set the crimp die to only remove the flare from the belling die.I don't actually put crimp on the bullet.

January 13, 2012, 05:44 PM	#1
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	preferred die set for 45 acp ? Which die set is the preferred set for reloading 45 acp ? I see Lee has a 4 die set with a factory crimp die.

January 13, 2012, 06:38 PM	#5
rclark Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 2,622	I use the three die set from RCBS. So far has worked fine. __________________ A clinger and deplorable, MAGA, and life NRA member. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Single Action .45 Colt (Sometimes colloquially referred to by its alias as the .45 'Long' Colt or .45LC). Don't leave home without it. That said, the .44Spec is right up their too... but the .45 Colt is still the king.

January 13, 2012, 07:55 PM	#8
Tim R Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2004 Location: God's side of Washington State Posts: 1,601	I have had zero issues loading 45ACP for 2 1911's with RCBS carbide dies. __________________ God Bless our Troops especially our Snipers.

January 13, 2012, 08:55 PM	#9
jimkim Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2008 Location: middle GA Posts: 326	I used a Frankenstein set. I use a mix of Hornady New Dimension and Lee dies. I size with a Hornady, bell and charge with a Lee, seat with a Hornady, and will now be crimping with a Lee. I'm hoping the Lee FCD will help with my oversized bullets until Lyman sends me a new .452" sizing die. It may not work. I hope it does, I'm down to two hundred 45 acp rounds. __________________ Jan. 4, 2007 gasoline $2.10 gal....HMMM? Last edited by jimkim; January 13, 2012 at 11:42 PM.

January 13, 2012, 09:52 PM	#11
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	I have the Lee 4-die set and use all of them. I prefer to seat and crimp in separate operations. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

January 13, 2012, 06:13 PM	#2
kxkid Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2011 Posts: 207	The 4 set comes with the factory crimp die. I have the lee 3 die with out it. I just use the crimp that's built into the seater die Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

January 13, 2012, 06:28 PM	#3
Sky Master Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2009 Posts: 136	I have a Lee and use all 4

January 13, 2012, 06:29 PM	#4
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	I have the Lee dies but don't use the factory crimp.

January 13, 2012, 07:27 PM	#6
medalguy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,033	I use either the Lee carbide sizer if loading on the Dillon, or the RCBS Universal deprimer (if not loading on the Dillon). I use RCBS seater die and Lee FCD to just take all of the belling out of the case mouth. I really don't crimp this round. But any brand of dies will work just fine.

January 13, 2012, 07:30 PM	#7
Cornbread Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2012 Posts: 103	No experience with anything but RCBS in the 45 but they have been feeding 2 hungry Glocks (21 & 30) with no problems.

January 13, 2012, 09:06 PM	#10
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	I have both RCBS and Dillon 45acp dies. I run the Dillon dies on the 550B and I run the rcbs dies on the RC. I can't tell the difference which brand is better. They both work with no problems. I thought I had a problem with their dies once...but it was traced to operator error.

January 13, 2012, 09:57 PM	#12
eddyb74 Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 222	I have RCBS in my 650. It's probably my fault but I have been bending the decapping rod every 500 rounds or so. I have yet to have this problem with my Dillon dies in 9mm in the same press. I will be switching over soon.

January 13, 2012, 10:06 PM	#13
big_genius29 Member Join Date: July 27, 2011 Posts: 36	Redding

January 13, 2012, 11:54 PM	#14
oldreloader Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2009 Location: Magnolia, Arkansas Posts: 251	I have the 4 die set and use all 4 Because I prefer to seat and crimp in different steps on the LCT.

January 14, 2012, 07:35 AM	#15
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	Thank you I appreciate all the replies, thank you

January 14, 2012, 08:09 AM	#16
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	bullet seater Is there a different bullet seater pin for fmj and one for swc or does the standard dies seat both type bullets ? I am asking about 45 acp and 357 mag. Also do you guys crimp your 45 acp and what type crimp do you prefer ?

January 14, 2012, 08:28 AM	#17
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	I use the Lee dies also. Regarding the crimp, a long time ago a friend showed me a trick that I have been using. A 30-06 seater die makes a great tool to taper crimp a 45 ACP. You need to fiddle with the adjustment a bit but it does an excellent job. ps-same seater dies for all bullets.

January 14, 2012, 10:16 AM	#18
David Bachelder Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2011 Location: Trinity, Texas Posts: 636	+on the RCBS (carbide) three die set. Works great for me. __________________ David Bachelder Trinity, Texas I load, 9mm Luger, 38 and 40 S&W, 38 Special, 357Magnum, 45ACP, 45 Colt, 223, 300 AAC, 243 and 30-06

January 14, 2012, 10:34 AM	#19
Kevin Rohrer Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2010 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 1,049	They all work equally well. Buy any set you want as long as they are new and carbide, and you won't regret it. __________________ Member: Orange Gunsite Family, NRA--Life, ARTCA, and American Legion. Caveat Emptor: Cavery Grips/AmericanGripz/Prestige Grips/Stealth Grips from Clayton, NC. He is a scammer

January 14, 2012, 10:38 AM	#20
oldreloader Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2009 Location: Magnolia, Arkansas Posts: 251	"Also do you guys crimp your 45 acp and what type crimp do you prefer ? " 45 ACP requires a taper crimp because it headspaces on the case mouth. The Lee seater will seat both roundnose and flat point bullets. Hornady and some others come with two seater plugs, one for roundnose and one for flatpoints.

January 14, 2012, 01:31 PM	#21
3kgt2nv Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: hudson valley NY Posts: 517	i have the rcbs, hornady and the lee 4 die set. I only use the lee with all 4 dies set up in the dillon 650

January 14, 2012, 06:50 PM	#22
FWest Member Join Date: July 22, 2011 Location: Maine Posts: 32	If you shoot lead Lyman's M die work very well to expand the case and not cause any lead shaving. Lyman also sells a universial expander so you could add it to any set of dies.

January 14, 2012, 08:08 PM	#23
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	Lyman has the "best" handgun expander, Redding copied it, both work very well for lead and jacketed bullets. Otherwise, I don't think there is a 'preferred' die brand for much of anything, they all work fine if used correctly or they wouldn't survive in the market.

January 15, 2012, 04:52 PM	#24
Marquezj16 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Posts: 2,088	Hornady New Dimension and I don't crimp. Hornady reload manual 7th ed. actually states "little or no crimp as the 45 Automatic headspaces on the case mouth."

January 15, 2012, 09:20 PM	#25
oldreloader Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2009 Location: Magnolia, Arkansas Posts: 251	When I crimp any case that headspaces on the casemouth I set the crimp die to only remove the flare from the belling die.I don't actually put crimp on the bullet.